Presently, there are various known methods for producing roux. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,938 discloses a method for producing roux by drying flour until the moisture thereof is reduced to 0.5 to 10% by weight, adding fats and oil having a melting point of not more than 55.degree. C. and a weight ratio of flour/fats and oils being of 1/5 to 1/0.25 then heating the mixture at a temperature of 65.degree. to 130.degree. C. for five to sixty minutes. The patent further teaches heating a similar mix in a two cycled heating process after the first cycle cooling and seasoning with processed milk products, extracts, starch and the like of from 0.3 to 4 parts by weight relative to one part by weight of total amount of mixture of dried flour and fats and oils and subjecting the result of mixture to a second heating and mixing process. A primary object of the reference is to provide a method for producing roux which makes it possible to eliminate the problems of powdery or grainy texture and raw material odor. Several of the prior art teachings provide methods for producing roux however, the roux has odor of raw materials since the ingredients are not heat treated at elevated temperatures. Moreover, such roux has a problem that it turns pasty when cooked.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,824 which addresses a process for the production of a food base instantaneously dispersible in water also presents as an object to provide a suitable heat treatment combined with a suitable choice of starting materials as a method for producing an instantaneously dispersible water roux or food base. The reference further addresses the issue that the required properties of roux cannot be obtained by temperature cycles. Although as normally assumed that it is only the temperature levels at which the fat is held and the holding times which are important in the heat treatments of fats, it has been found that controlled cooling is also crucial. The reference addresses a food base with a requirement of a binding effect without forming lumps when boiling water is poured onto the food base. In addition, the food base or roux is required to be storageable and not to agglutinate at room temperature.
Dry mixture compositions, which typically contain thickening agents such as starch or flour together with flavoring and coloring agents are widely used to prepare gravies and sauces. In preparing a roux from such a mix, the dry mix is dispersed in cold water and the dispersion gradually heated to boiling with constant agitation to gelatinize the starch and thereby thicken the liquid to the desired extent. This process must be carried out with care in order to avoid the formation of lumps in the thickened product. A number of procedures have been suggested in order to avoid the formation of lumps in the prepared gravies and sauces using a dry mix composition. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,599 provides an improved dry mix composition for the preparation of gravies and sauces which contains a thickening agent, such as starch and/or flour, and maltodextrin, with the maltodextrin being present in the dry mix composition in an amount sufficient to provide a weight ratio of maltodextrin to thickening agent of at least 1:1.
A roux is a basic cooking ingredient used especially in French and Creole cooking as well as in Continental and Italian cooking and more recently, heavily relied upon by various fast food preparations. Roux is used for example, as a base for making gravies, soups, sauces, etc. In general, roux is made by cooking a mixture of flour and vegetable oil or other fat based substance until the desired cooked brown mixture is reached. In classical French cooking, the roux is made by mixing flour with melted butter. Various cookbook authorities define roux similarly for example, a generic term for various flour bindings. A roux is sometimes brown, sometimes white, according to the end use intended. If a thin sauce or gravy is required then, the amount of flour to oil is reduced. The color of the roux is gently brought to the desired shade by heating and stirring then the liquid ingredient by the recipe is added little by little and the sauce seasoned as desired and allowed to mellow. The drippings from a piece of roast meat is sometimes used instead of butter or cooking oils and fats thus, improving the flavor of the sauce if intended to be served with the roast.
Because fat is known to provide improved flavor consistency and mouth feel to foods, its use in certain food applications is highly desirable. For obvious reasons, concentrations containing a substantial proportion of fat or oil are generally not prepared in dry form. Advantageously, such concentrates are provided in tub configurations or the like similar to margarines. Although fat-containing concentrates in these forms provide a number of benefits in terms of convenience, stability and the like, their preparation generally involves expensive equipment and procedures. Heated mixtures of flour and fat used as thickeners in gravies and as sauce bases and the like are known as roux. Flour and fat are combined in suitable proportions and amounts and heated for varying periods depending upon the type of roux desired. Preparation of conventional roux is time consuming and considerable care must be taken to avoid overheating and to achieve a smooth consistency.
The teachings of the prior art are generally concerned with methods for producing roux, gravies and sauces having smooth consistency being lump free when added to water or other cooking fluids. In addition, roux is prepared with various additives and flavorings in order to achieve end product gravies and sauces having desired taste and texture. However, none of the methods described provides roux or roux base having a fried flavor as a result of the method of preparation. In fact, many of the references are concerned in avoiding the odor of the raw materials as well as the pasty texture and appearance of roux preparation processes. Further, most roux preparations are made at lower temperatures when combining the starch and flour base materials with the oils in order to avoid certain burn, or other taste characteristics.
It can be seen that for improved convenience, especially in the fast food industry, a hot or boiling water dispersible fried flavor roux base product for gravies, sauces and soups is desirable so that the food prepared does not have to follow cumbersome cooking procedures or use costly additives or flavor essence which can vary substantially from mix to mix. It is also highly advantageous to have a roux base product with definitive flavor which is suitable for use in soups and sauces and gravies while being storage stable and simple to integrate into food preparation. It would be most beneficial to the end user if such a fried flavor roux base product having consistent flavor and roux properties could be made and supplied in dry bulk; however, vegetable oil will produce a liquid form end product. In this invention, a fried flavor roux base product for gravies and sauces which has the above described advantages is provided through the use of the process described herein.